Watching Evil Dead

Unearthing the Radiant Artist Within

By: Josh Malerman

Narrated by: Josh Malerman

From the bestselling author of Bird Box and Incidents Around the House, an impassioned book about a night that changed the author’s life and put into perspective the writing life—and how you too can be inspired to face the fears that might hold you back from doing your best work

“A fun, modern take on Stephen King’s On Writing . . . Malerman’s trustworthy insights and experiences will no doubt offer its readers who are struggling creatively a healthy dose of inspiration.”—Booklist, starred review

One night, bestselling author Josh Malerman—then just an aspiring writer—watched Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead with his fiancée and two friends. It was a gathering that could’ve gone unnoticed, another date night with a movie, but for Malerman, it became a landmark. It changed the course of his life, and it will inspire you to reflect on your own journey and to discover existing triumphs that are within you already.

Describing the course of the night, Malerman reflects on his life, from his career as a musician to his stack of rough drafts, written prior to ever being published—and on how meeting the love of his life, a fellow creative, opened him to new experiences and new ways of viewing the world they now quest through together.

Malerman deploys his own story to help readers not only write their unwritten stories but celebrate their uncelebrated victories: to find their voice, their vision, and their joie de vivre. By simply describing an uncommon and uncanny night, he guides aspiring writers beyond the blank page to the immortal life of the writer.

Critic reviews

“This is a love story, an exegesis, a time machine, an autopsy, a writing guide, a memoir, a prophecy, a hallucination. Above all else for me, it was weird in the best way, and inspiring from snout to tail.”—Chuck Wendig, New York Times bestselling author of The Staircase in the Woods

“A fun, modern take on Stephen King’s On Writing (2001) . . . Malerman’s trustworthy insights and experiences will no doubt offer its readers who are struggling creatively a healthy dose of inspiration.”—Booklist, starred review

“A raw-throated, wild-eyed, pulse-quickening sermon on not just art—but passion and persistence . . . It will light an inspiring torch inside you and send you rushing to the keyboard or camera or canvas.”—Benjamin Percy, author of The Ninth Metal, Red Moon, Thrill Me, and Refresh, Refresh

“To those of us who have loved a piece of cinema so much that it had the power to shape our entire lives, this book is a beautiful look at the world. Josh Malerman’s Michigan is what California is to Didion. This is a must-read for fans and writers of the horror genre alike.”—Lisa Kröger, author of Monster She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction

“Exactly what you need to feel confident in your own artistic expression . . . Brimming with Malermanʼs joy, vitality, and zeal for life, itʼs a timeless resource and an immeasurable treasure.”—Sadie Hartmann, Bram Stoker Award–winning author of 101 Horror Books to Read Before You’re Murdered

“We live in cynical times, which is why talking about inspiration and inspiring work is so hard. But Josh Malerman not only overcomes that, he goes way beyond, delivering hope and encouragement to artists in the simplest way—by telling his own story. Watching Evil Dead: Unearthing the Radiant Artist Within is part autobiography and part a manual for living what David Lynch called The Art Life. The book is for aspiring writers and pros alike.”—Richard Kadrey, bestselling author of the Sandman Slim series

“A shout against the dark and a leaping, frenzied, joyous treatise on love, art, the power of cinema, and horror . . . It is a love letter to film and a testament to the profound gifts available to those who embrace a creative life.”—Keith Rosson, author of Fever House and The Devil by Name

“This is just the brightest yet from one of our brightest lights: deep, delirious, inspiring, and overflowing with gnosis and joy. I could not possibly love it more.”—John Skipp, author of Book of the Dead

A masterpiece!

This book will change your life if you let it- an absolute triumph: I dare you not to feel inspired and compelled to do it- to give yourself permission to try- and to succeed because you tried alone. This book will leave you feeling like you can- can paint the picture, write the poem, the song, the book, try the new thing, pick back up the old thing. Get rid of the words good and bad and realize the most important part is to just do it.

Smashing Non Fiction

Enjoyed Josh telling his story of a very impactful evening in his life. Raw and emotional at times but nice to see him express his emotions and thoughts right before his writing career exploded.

Josh's infectious joy.

This was a curious artifact. I liked it a lot. really, I did. I think I disagree with a few key things Josh holds. I'm more of an "Art has objective value" kind of guy, but that didn't detract from the value of this book. I'd lovevto have coffee with Josh and talk writer to writer with him. and, if for nothing else, I enjoyed the telling of what happened that night with one of my favorite movies. I just rewatched it myself with a new appreciation thanks to this book.